Losers

Two
sons of the presiding pastor of the Independent Baptist Church in Calabar, Rev.
Nicholas Wayih, have been killed by gunmen.

The
two sons identified as Archibong and Ekpenyong were said to have had a
prolonged struggle with the armed men before they were gunned down.

The
gun men, seven in number, were said to have gained access to the expansive
compound located at the Efio-Ette junction axis of the Cross River State
capital, through the back fence that shares boundary with a welder’s shop.

Southern
City News gathered different versions to the gory incident that has left the
Wayihs in serious mourning mood since the early hours of Tuesday when the
incident occurred.

A
close source to the Wayihs disclosed that the clergy’s two sons were said to
have engaged the armed men in physical battle after they had gained entry into
the residence between 1am and 3am of Tuesday, March 29.

The
source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not clear if it was an
outright case of assassination because the intruders started beating the
clergy’s three boys that had come out from their rooms on noticing that they
had gained entry.

“When
the beating became severe, two of the sons, who were hefty, had to engage the
intruders in physical battle because they did not see guns with them initially
and when they were almost overpowering intruders, one of the robbers gave an
order that they should be killed.

“The
third son, who experienced the incident, had to rush to the mother’s room to
tell her not to come out but the mother came out and asked the robbers what
they wanted. She offered her ATM card and they took it after they had gun down
the brothers. The robbers even withdrew money from the ATM in the morning of
the incident,” he said.

But
another source, Michael Ebube, said one of the robbers sustained deep cut while
trying to gain access to the pastor’s house.

Ebube
said, “The robbers gained access to the building and in the course of
attempting to gain entrance into the pastor’s residence, one of the sons used
machete to cut one of the armed robbers. It was learnt that the cut was severe.
The robbers still continued and eventually they gained entrance into the
building.

“In
retaliation, they shot the two sons when they got in but left almost
immediately in annoyance without actually stealing anything because the injured
robber was bleeding profusely. The robbers scaled the fence the way they came
in and it appeared they stayed in the next compound for sometime before they
left because was so much blood stains on the floor of the compound they came in
through.”

The
state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, who confirmed the
incident, said the police was currently investigating the matter.